[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 158 (Thursday, August 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46057-46058]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-16147]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8456-2]


EPA Science Advisory Board; Notification of a Public 
Teleconference of the Science Advisory Board

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board 
(SAB) Staff Office announces a public teleconference of the Chartered 
Science Advisory Board to conduct a quality review of two draft SAB 
documents: (a) SAB Homeland Security Advisory Committee Consultation on 
the EPA's Emergency Consequence Assessment Tool and Incident-based 
Microbial Risk Assessment Framework, and (b) SAB Radiation Advisory 
Committee Advisory on the Agency Draft White Paper Entitled Modifying 
EPA Radiation Risk Models Based on Bier VII.

DATES: The SAB will hold the public teleconference on September 5, 
2007. The teleconference will begin at 1 p.m. and end at 2:30 p.m. 
(Eastern Time).
    Location: Telephone conference call only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing to 
obtain general information concerning this public teleconference should 
contact Mr. Tom Miller, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA Science 
Advisory Board (1400F), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; via telephone/voice 
mail: (202) 343-9982; fax: (202) 233-0643; or e-mail at: 
[email protected]. General information concerning the EPA Science 
Advisory Board can be found on the EPA Web Site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act, Public Law 92-463, notice is hereby given that the EPA SAB will 
hold a public teleconference to review two draft SAB documents. The SAB 
was established by 42 U.S.C. 4365 to provide independent scientific and 
technical advice to the Administrator on the technical basis for Agency 
positions and regulations. The SAB is a Federal Advisory Committee 
chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 
5 U.S.C., App. The SAB will comply with the provisions of FACA and all 
appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies.
    Background: The purpose of the public teleconference is to conduct 
a quality review of two draft SAB documents. These documents are the: 
(a) Science Advisory Board's Homeland Security Advisory Committee 
Consultation on the EPA's Emergency Consequence Assessment Tool and 
Incident-based Microbial Risk Assessment Framework, and (b) Advisory on 
the Agency Draft White Paper Entitled Modifying EPA Radiation Risk 
Models Based on Bier VII. In reviewing draft reports, the SAB considers 
whether: (i) The original charge questions to the SAB review panel were 
adequately addressed in the draft report, (ii) the draft report is 
clear and logical; and (iii) the conclusions drawn, or recommendations 
made in the draft report, are supported by the body of the report.
    (a) The EPA National Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC) 
requested that the SAB provide technical advice on its Emergency 
Consequence Assessment Tool (ECAT) and its preliminary incident-based 
Microbial Risk Assessment (MRA) Framework (see 72 FR 20538 of April 25, 
2007) which are being developed by the NHSRC. ECAT is an interactive 
online risk assessment and management software tool to provide health 
advisors, and other emergency response officials, with rapid access to 
critical information during an environmental emergency or training 
exercise. ECAT is designed to assess and provide site-specific numeric 
estimates of health risks for selected chemical, biological and 
radiological threat agents; and identify appropriate response actions 
to mitigate these risks. Additionally, NHRSC asked the SAB for advice 
on its White Paper describing issues important to the development of a 
decision framework for assessing health risks and developing clean up 
levels associated with a decontamination response following exposure to 
microbial agents. Additional information about the SAB consultation on 
these two topics is available on the SAB Web Site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab/panels/hsacadhoc.html.
    (b) EPA's Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA) asked the SAB 
to provide advice on a draft White Paper: Modifying EPA Radiation Risk 
Models Based on BEIR VII, dated August 2006 (see 71 FR 45545 of August 
9, 2006; 71

[[Page 46058]]

FR 62950 of October 26, 2006; and 72 FR 8379 of February 26, 2007). 
EPA's White Paper describes an updated methodology for quantifying 
estimated cancer risks from environmental exposures to radionuclides. 
The EPA's methodology is based on the National Research Council (NRC 
2006) released Health Risks from Exposure to Low levels of Ionizing 
Radiation BEIR VII Phase 2 which primarily addresses cancer and genetic 
risks from low doses of low-LET radiation (BEIR VII). Additional 
information about the SAB's review of EPA's White Paper, and the 
development of the SAB draft report, can be found on the Web at: http://www.epa.gov/sab/panels/rac_adv_white_paper_rad_risk_models.htm.
    Availability of Teleconference Materials: The draft agenda and 
other materials will be posted on the SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab/ prior to the teleconference.
    Procedures for Providing Public Input: Interested members of the 
public may submit relevant written or oral information for the SAB to 
consider during the public teleconference. Oral Statements: In general, 
individuals or groups requesting an oral presentation at a public SAB 
teleconference will be limited to three minutes per speaker, with no 
more than a total of one-half hour for all speakers. Interested parties 
should contact Mr. Tom Miller, DFO, in writing (preferably via e-mail), 
by August 29, 2007, at the contact information noted above, to be 
placed on the public speaker list for this teleconference. Written 
Statements: Written statements should be received in the SAB Staff 
Office by August 30, 2007, so that the information may be made 
available to the SAB for their consideration prior to this 
teleconference. Written statements should be supplied to the DFO in the 
following formats: one hard copy with original signature, and one 
electronic copy via e-mail (acceptable file format: Adobe Acrobat PDF, 
WordPerfect, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, or Rich Text files in IBM-PC/
Windows 98/2000/XP format).
    Accessibility: For information on access or services for 
individuals with disabilities, please contact Mr. Tom Miller at (202) 
343-9982 or [email protected]. To request accommodation of a 
disability, please contact Mr. Miller preferably at least ten days 
prior to the teleconference, to give EPA as much time as possible to 
process your request.

    Dated: August 10, 2007.
Anthony F. Maciorowski,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
 [FR Doc. E7-16147 Filed 8-15-07; 8:45 am]
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